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Wei WuXian gasped softly, him turning to that careful voice and surprisingly recognised who the person was. 'MianMian?'

It was a young maiden that stood beside one of the sect leaders. Her comment immediately became a target to the other cultivators. "What do you mean?"

The young maiden, MianMian or her actual name Luo QingYang, appeared to be scared and so her voice was more careful. "No, I don't mean anything more. There's no need to be so agitated, everyone. I just feel that the words 'killing discriminately' isn't the right word."

"How is it not right? Wei WuHui has been killing indiscriminately ever since the Sunshot Campaign. Can you disprove this?" One of the crowd hissed.

Luo QingYang frowned. "The Sunshot Campaign is a battlefield. In the battlefield, would it mean that everyone is killing indiscriminately? Let's consider this as it stands. I really don't thibk it's right to say that she killed indiscriminately. After all, there is a reason. If the inspectors really abused the prisoners and killed Wen Ning, it wouldn't be called killing indiscriminately anymore, but rather revenge-."

"You're almost laughable! Don't tell me you think she's right to have killed our people! Don't tell me you're going to praise that it was an act of justice!"

"We still don't know whether or not the inspectors really did those things. It's not like anybody saw it with their own eyes."

"That's right. All of the inspectors who lived said that they definitely didn't abuse the prisoner. Wen Ning died because he himself accidentally fell from a cliff. They even went so far as to take back his corpse and buried him, yet they received such revenge. How disappointing!"

Luo QingYang furrowed her brows at the accusations throw around. "The inspectors that survived are scared that they'd be responsible for abusing the prisoners and killing people. Of course they'd insist that he fell off on his own-."

"You can stop arguing. We don't want to hear the words of someone who has other motives." One sneered.

Luo QingYang blinked out of bewilderment. "And what do you mean by that?"

"There's no need for me to say anything. You know, deep down, and we know too. You fell in love with her brother, Wei WuXian, back in the cave of Xuanwu just because he flirted with you? You're defending his sister, calling black and white no matter how irrational it is. Hah! Women will always be women." The person laughed.

Hearing that last part, over to the other side, Nie MingJian gave that person a bewildered glare.

People began to remembered the incident of Wei WuXian saving a damsel in distress in the cave of the Xuanwu. Being it was once a topic of conversation.

"What?" Wei WuXian muttered as he frowned in annoyance at the people.

"So that's why. Explains how she's so desperate as to speak up for Wei WuHui." Another muttered.

"Irrational? Calling black and white? I'm just being considerate as it stands. What does it have to do with the fact that I'm a woman? You can't be rational with me so you're attacking me with other things?" Luo QingYang exclaimed.

Then, another shook their head at her. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Look at how innocent you make yourself to be. Even your heart has grown sideways—how could you consider things as they stand?"

"Stop wasting your time on her. How could someone like her be from our sect? And she even found her way into Golden Pavilion. I'm so embarrassed just standing next to her."

Luo QingYang realised as more and more people from her own sect began to spoke against her, disregarding her like it was nothing. The maiden became so enraged that her cheeks glowed red and her eyes swelling up with tears. "Fine! Your voices are louder! Fine! You're the rational ones!"

And with that final say, Luo QingYang, without hesitation, clutched onto her crested robe and with force, pulled it off her body and slammed it onto the table with a loud bang.

Wei WuXian watched with admiration as the brave maiden said nothing, turned around and walked away.

"If you're taking it off, then don't put it on again, if you're so capable!"

"Who does she think she is...leaving as she pleases? Who cares? What's she doing this to prove?"

"Women will always be women. They quit just after you say a few harsh words. She'll definitely come back on her own, a couple of days later."

Suddenly, a loud thud erupted the chattering as everyone went silent. All eyes turned to the source of the sound and immediately chills went down their spines as the ones who spurred out those arrogant words felt themselves shrinking under the angry glare from Nie MingJian.

"Why did you stop? Continue with what you was saying." Nie MingJian demanded through her gritted teeth as her fiery eyes burned through the culprits. "Women will always be women? Quitting after a few harsh words? Are you undermining us female cultivators?"

"No Nie Gu-Niang, we would never." The culprits immediately denied the claims, shaking their heads in fear.

"Oh, really? I see," Nie MingJian chuckled darkly. "Since I am from a famed cultivational sect, you don't have the guts to say it to my face but since Luo Gu-Niang is a low-ranking one, you can offend her? Talk down on her? Every men here seem to be forgetting that female cultivators are as powerful as you men. Yu ZiYuan, the late Madam of Jiang Sect, went down fighting for her sect."

Jiang Cheng clenched his hands tightly at the mention of his late mother, his mind recalling her lifeless body.

But Nie MingJian wasn't done just yet.

"Lan ChunLi, a wise senior from the Lan Sect, fought her hardest when the Wens attacked the Cloud Recesses and protected the youngsters and guest disiciples. Lan ChunTao, my sworn sister, led an army on the battlefield against the Wens, and my other sworn sister, Wei WuHui, managed to return from her presumed death and turned the war into our favour. All these women managed to accomplished these things and yet, you all have the guts to disregard us?!"

"A-Qiao, please." Lan ChunTao rushed to her sister's side, wrapping her arm around her as the former slowly directed the maiden to the direction of the doors. "Relax your breathing, A-Qiao."

Wei WuXian, also having enough the people in the meeting, stood up while holding on his sword, Suíbiàn, with the familiar glinting crimson sword strapped on his back, as he followed after the maidens.

"Talking behind other people's back is prohibited." With that one statement from Lan WangJi, this prompted the others to return to the main matter on hand as one after another, they began to denounce Wei WuHui and the Wen dogs again. Their words filled with passionate hatred.

Using this as an advantage, Jin GuangShan turned to Jiang Cheng. "She's been plotting for a while to go to Burial Mound, hasn't she? After all, with her skills, it wouldn't be too hard to set up a sect of her own. And so, she used this as a chance to leave the Yunmeng Jiang Sect, intending to do whatever she pleases in the bright skies outside. You rebuilt the Yunmeng Jiang Sect with so much word. She's got a few controversial traits in her to begin with, and still she doesn't restrain herself, stirring up so much trouble for you. She doesn't care about you at all."

Jiang Cheng furrowed her brows, agitated. "That probably isn't the case. Wei WuHui has been like this ever since she was young, along with her brother. Even my father couldn't do anything about them."

"Even FengMian-Xiong couldn't do anything about them, huh?" Jin GuangShan chuckled lightly. "FengMian-Xiong just favours them."

At this, the corners of Jiang Cheng's mouth twitched.

"Jiang-Zongzhu, you're not like your father. It's just been a couple of years since the re-establishment of the Lotus Pier, precisely when you should be displaying your power. And yet, Wei WuHui doesn't even know to avoid suspicions. What would the Jiang Sect's new disiciples think if they saw her? Don't tell me you'd let them see her as their role model and look down on you?"

Jiang Cheng trembled in silent rage, his hands clenching so tightly that his knuckles began to turn white. "Jin-Zongzhu, that's enough. Wei WuXian and I will go to Burial Mound and deal with this."

Jin GuangShan smiled out of satisfaction. "That's the spirit. Jiang-Zongzhu, there are some things, some people that you shouldn't put up with."

———

Lan WangJi walked out of the Golden Pavilion as the meeting had finally finished. His eyes immediately pinpointed the familiar white-robed of his older brother, who finally returned, as him and Wei WuXian stood across Luo QingYang.

The maiden's eyes still tearing up while Lan WangJi can see Wei WuXian trying to give her a reassurance look but there were still solemn mixed with his emotions. The three seem to be conversing.

A moment later, Lan XiChen and Wei WuXian saluted to her.

Luo QingYang returned the salute with a graver solute before she departed down the Koi Tower, wearing the uncrested gauze robe.

Lan WangJi then met eyes with his brother, immediately being overcome with concern the moment he saw the pure sadness in Lan XiChen's eyes as he also noticed that his brother's clothes and hair still looked wet.

Unknowingly, Lan WangJi felt that things won't go as peacefully after this and that made him afraid of what will come in the future.

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(Please correct my translation if I'm wrong and the GIFs and pictures used in this chapter does not belong to me, but their rightful owners)